Police Ready For Black Friday Rush

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Lexington police are bracing for Black Friday and taking extra precautions to make sure the shopping season goes as smoothly as possible.

Holiday shoppers can expect an increased police presence around Fayette Mall and in the Hamburg area this Friday and around Christmas. The Traffic Management Center will also be adjusting the timing on some traffic signals around busy parts of town. Adaptive signals off Winchester Road will help move traffic coming off the interstate toward Hamburg.

Police also warn that car break-ins also spike during this time of the year. Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin says it remains to be seen what effect the longer shopping season may have.

"In terms of more crime, I don't know that that's going to happen. We hope that it doesn't, but certainly things are happening earlier and we're going to be there for the folks that are coming out to shop and have a good time," Bastin says.

Police recommend that shoppers always lock their car doors and keep purchases or valuables out of plain sight.